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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25504573">Looking Up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interestingpumpkin/pseuds/Interestingpumpkin'>Interestingpumpkin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Best Friends, Brief mentions of suicide, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Inhuman Reader (Marvel), Near Death Experience, POV First Person, SHIELD Agent Reader (Marvel), Songfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:53:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25504573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interestingpumpkin/pseuds/Interestingpumpkin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You and Sam have been best friends since you were kids, and you've managed to make it this far without the relationship wavering once. When the Avengers are called in to assist on an important mission, the two of you are reunited. What changes will this bring?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sam Wilson/Reader, Sam Wilson/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Looking Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic was written for avengersandlovers writing challenge on Tumblr and was based on the song Looking Up by Paramore.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Agent (Y/L/N),” Sampson addresses me from the doorway. “You’re wanted in the conference room.”</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>“Don’t ask me. Daniels just told me to send you down.”</p><p>I sigh and push back from my desk. “Fine. Thanks for letting me know.”</p><p>“Yeah, no problem.” He pushes off the doorframe and heads back out into the hallway. “Good luck, kid. You might need it.”</p><p>I snort and shake my head. Sampson has had a flair for the dramatic since before I started working for S.H.I.E.L.D. and continues to strive to scare anyone who’s been called to speak with their superior. The anxiety wears off after a couple years and after almost four, nothing from him really phases me anymore.</p><p>The walk to the conference room isn’t a long one, and I don’t bother knocking on the door before entering. I plop down in the chair opposite Daniels at the table. Daniels doesn’t look up from shuffling his papers around, and the other three people in the room don’t say a word.</p><p>“I’m guessing Sampson dropped by your office?”</p><p>“That he did, sir. He didn’t say much past you asking for me.” I lean back in my chair and look at the agents gathered around the table. “Am I allowed to ask why I’ve been summoned?”</p><p>“The Avengers will be here by the end of the end of the week to take a look at the issue regarding the San Juan islands,” the woman at the head of the table says.</p><p>“Alright, and what does that have to do with me?”</p><p>“It’s been brought to our attention that you know the Falcon quite well.”</p><p>“Okay?”</p><p>“You will be sent along as an area guide.”</p><p>“Sam doesn’t know what I am,” I shake my head and lean back in my chair. “And we haven’t seen each other in over a decade. I don’t know what kind of reception we’ll get.”</p><p>“You’ve been speaking to him regularly ever since moving to the west coast,” the woman smirks. “I doubt he would be disappointed to see you, regardless of your new powers.”</p><p>“You’ve been monitoring our conversations?”</p><p>Daniels shrugs. “Only those of interest.”</p><p>“Speak for yourself, Daniels. Their relationship is beautiful, and one worth watching unfold.”</p><p>“You people are nuts.”</p><p>“Perhaps, but we sign your paychecks.”</p><p>I look over the people around the table and lean forward again. “Fine, I’ll do it. But only if you agree to lay off reading my texts. It’s a serious invasion of privacy.”</p><p>The woman inclines her head and looks down her nose at me. “Fine.”</p><p>“Cool. When and where am I meeting them?”</p><p>–</p><p>
  <em>“You doin’ alright, kid?”</em>
</p><p>“Yes, Dawson, I’m fine.”</p><p>
  <em>“You sure? Your heart rate just spiked. Is something up?”</em>
</p><p>“I am completely sure.” I squint and shield my eyes from the sun. “Their jet just came over the horizon line.”</p><p>
  <em>“Ooh, you’re just excited to see your little boyfriend, aren’t you?”</em>
</p><p>“I can put you on mute, y’know. I am allowed that option.”</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, please don’t. I want to be able to hear you embarrass yourself. That’s the only fun I’ll get out of being stuck on comms the entire mission.”</em>
</p><p>“You’re an ass.”</p><p>
  <em>“Maybe, but I’m the only one here that has your back right now.”</em>
</p><p>“Shut up,” I shield my face from the wind the quinjet generates as it lands. “They’re here.”</p><p>
  <em>“Tell Captain America he has a nice ass for me.”</em>
</p><p>“Absolutely not.”</p><p>
  <em>“You’re no fun.”</em>
</p><p>“I’m literally an inch away from muting you.”</p><p>
  <em>“Fine, I’ll shut up. For now.”</em>
</p><p>“I won’t hold my breath.”</p><p>The hissing release of air from the ramp being lowered pulls my attention away from the conversation. The team slowly appears at the mouth of the quinjet, headed up by Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. They’re flanked by the Romanoff, Barton, and the Maximoff kid. When they reach the bottom of the ramp, everyone fans out and Sam appears directly behind Rogers. He looks around the island before his eyes land on me and his back goes rigid.</p><p>“(Y/N)?”</p><p>“Sammy!”</p><p>He slips between Rogers and Stark and I run to meet him. He circles his arms around my waist and I wrap my arms around his shoulders to steady myself when he spins us around. He laughs and hugs me tightly before setting me down. His hands never leave my waist and his smile looks like it’s about ready to take over his entire face.</p><p>“Since when do you work for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Last I heard you were a journalist!”</p><p>I shrug. “Things change. I’ll explain later, okay?” I look past Sam to the rest of the group and extract myself from his arms.</p><p>“Right, yeah.” He steps to the side, scratching the back of his neck.</p><p>“I’m Agent (Y/L/N). I’ve been assigned to be your area guide while you’re here.”</p><p>“And you know Wilson… how?” Tony Stark asks.</p><p>“We’ve been best friends since high school,” Sam slings an arm around my shoulders.</p><p>“Ooh, don’t talk me up too much, Sammy. Your friends might get the wrong idea.” Clearing my throat, I turn my voice back to the rest of the team. “Anyway, we’ve got a mission.”</p><p>“Where are we going?” Rogers asks.</p><p>“There’s an anomaly we’ve observed at the peak of Vendovi Island. We suspect it’s been there for years, but it’s a small island and so few people venture up there, it’s very possible that no one noticed.”</p><p>“Alright, where is it?”</p><p>“It’s right about where the Bellingham and Samish bays meet and let out. About half an hour north of where we are now.”</p><p>
  <em>“Seriously?”</em>
</p><p>“Yes. If you get lost in the fog? Also yes. But you’re lucky because you’ve got me to guide you.”</p><p>Rogers squints. “Why’s that?”</p><p>“They call me Beacon back at HQ. Think of flying with me as like driving with your brights on.” Everyone looks blankly at me and I roll my eyes. “I’m basically made of light. You’ll be able to see everything in your flight path without an issue.”</p><p>“That’s new, right?” Sam whispers.</p><p>I nod. “I’ll explain after.”</p><p>Everyone piles back into their quinjet and I wait till they lift off to take a run at the cliff to my left and jump. I dive head first into the canyon below and allow myself to free fall for several seconds before thrusting my arms out to either side. My body grows lighter and the air around me glows with the light I give off.</p><p><em>“You better pull up soon,”</em> Dawson says. <em>“Wouldn’t want the Avengers thinking you just committed suicide.”</em></p><p>I sigh and pull my arms back in against my sides before angling my shoulders upwards. The quinjet hovers just above the cloud cover and I float at the front just long enough to jerk my chin at whoever’s piloting before turning around and flying off. I can feel the jet behind me more than hear it, and the occasional check-ins and course corrections from Dawson tell me that they are directly on my tail.</p><p>The further north we fly, the thicker the fog becomes. I have to force my light to glow brighter, to the point of it almost messing with my own vision. When we’re about five minutes out from the island, the fog is so dense that it leaves my uniform damp and I can feel my hair begin to stick to the back of my neck.</p><p>
  <em>“You’re almost at the peak. You should circle down and find somewhere secluded to land.”</em>
</p><p>“How do I tell them that?”</p><p>
  <em>“Someone in that jet is bound to know morse code.”</em>
</p><p>“Oh, right. Thanks, Dawson.”</p><p>I blink out “Follow me” and begin my descent to the island below. When I glance back to check if their following I can barely see them through the fog, but they’re still there so I keep going. We land in a clearing that was marked earlier in the week and I lead the team up the slope as soon as they’re out of the jet. It doesn’t take long for visibility to drop to zero and soon I have to use my powers to light the way again.</p><p>When we reach our destination, I crouch down and force the light into a ring of stones that I had set up in previous excursions to the island. The ring begins to glow with light and the anomaly becomes slightly visible.</p><p>A jagged black mass rises up from a perfectly circular hole in the grass. It’s only about four feet tall, but the energy it throws off causes the air around it to feel damp and muggy. Occasionally the light will hit it and streaks of navy blue will appear.</p><p>“What the hell is that?” Stark asks.</p><p>“The reason you’re here,” I answer.</p><p>“It feels angry,” the Maximoff girl comments.</p><p>“How do you mean?” I inquire.</p><p>She inches closer and reaches a hand out to the mass. A ball of red haze forms around her hand and a filament of dark gray fog reaches out to her as well. Right before it makes contact she jerks back.</p><p>“It’s like it was made from pure hate.” She shakes her head. “Have there been any spikes in aggression in the surrounding area?”</p><p>I nod. “Yes. A lot of aggravated assault charges along the coast and there were a few protests that went south fast on the Western campus over the past couple weeks.” I step to the side so the others can get a better look. “Is it magic?”</p><p>“If it is, it’s not chaos magic.”</p><p>“Maybe Strange could have been better help than us in this situation,” Barton offers. “The dude’s the sorcerer supreme and all that.”</p><p>“If he were better suited, S.H.I.E.L.D. would have contacted him instead.” I chew the inside of my cheek. “Is there any way to set up a shield or a barrier to protect everything around this thing?”</p><p>“Why?” Stark asks.</p><p>“Well, clearly the only option is to try and blast it with something, and we don’t need to be damaging more of a state park than necessary.”</p><p>“Make sense,” Sam agrees. “We’ve got a few things that we can set up, right?”</p><p>Stark nods.</p><p>“If we must, I can project a shield,” Wanda says.</p><p>Stark starts setting up his tech while Sam, Rogers, Romanoff, Barton, and I talk about the best way to approach removing the mass. Everyone agrees that direct firepower is the wrong way to go. Barton suggests several of his trick arrows, and most are shot down, but the shock arrow is readily agreed on.</p><p>He nocks an arrow and takes his time lining up the shot. When he looses the arrow, it hits its mark and the electric charge skitters across the surface of the mass. The space below the arrowhead lightens for a moment before the shaft is flung back at us and the ground shakes. No one loses their footing, but the shield falls almost immediately.</p><p>“Is everyone okay?” Rogers calls.</p><p>Everyone sounds off, but I step closer to the mass. The navy blue that had shown up under the shock from the arrow is still fading and I squint at the faint veins of blue running away from the center of the color.</p><p>“What are you seeing?” Rogers asks.</p><p>“Did you see how it got lighter when the arrow went off?” He nods, his brow furrowed. “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but if this is what I think it is, I kind of saw something like it in a video game ten years ago.”</p><p>“I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Okay, so there was this Pokemon game, and this massive crystal was completely messing with people’s emotions because it fed off of their hate and aggression. After it was cleansed, the crystal was clear and everything was fine.” I shake my head. “Point is, the mass got lighter when it got a jolt of pure energy. Maybe if I can get bright enough, I can cleanse it with my powers.”</p><p>“Are you sure you can do that, (Y/N)?” Sam asks. “That’s gotta take a lot of energy.”</p><p>I shrug. “I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot right?”</p><p>“How are you going to focus that sort of energy?” Stark asks.</p><p>“Do you maybe have a huge magnifying lens?”</p><p>“Well…” he trails off. “I don’t have a <em>huge </em>one, per se… but it should get the job done.”</p><p>I turn to follow Stark back to the quinjet, but Sams hand on my arm stops me.</p><p>“Are you sure this is a good idea?”</p><p>“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”</p><p>“The problem isn’t about you living, it’s about what this might do to you.” He takes a deep breath and slowly releases it to steady himself. “I don’t like seeing you in danger. I don’t want you to get hurt.”</p><p>“Look, I get that, but this is part of the job. I’ve never asked you to stay behind on a mission or anything like that. Having powers, being a superhero… danger comes with the territory.”</p><p>“Oh, so you’re a superhero now?”</p><p>“Don’t get snippy with me, Sammy, I know you were thinking of liberating your wings before you joined up with the Avengers.” He pulls back and my stomach clenches. “I was a vigilante for a while. It’s how I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar in the first place. I can do this.”</p><p>“(Y/N)…”</p><p>“Look,” I take his hand in mine and squeeze gently. “I asked about the lens because it’ll help me focus the energy better. It’ll reduce the strain on my body, so it’s safer, okay? I promise I’ll be careful.”</p><p>He opens his mouth to say something but sighs instead.</p><p>“I know, I’m stubborn.”</p><p>“Sweetheart, you are definitely that.” He jerks his chin at something behind me. “Stark’s back. You should probably get ready.”</p><p>–</p><p>Stark and Rogers hold the lens in place while I fly to the top of the dome that Maximoff has built. If something goes wrong, it’ll be contained in this space.</p><p>I focus as much power as I possibly can into the palms of my hands and direct the beam of light at the lens below. At first, nothing happens, so I force even more energy through my hands, at which a huge beam of light bursts through the glass, hitting the targeted mass. The color immediately begins to lighten and the fog lifts with it. The lighter the color of the stone, the faster the fog dissipates.</p><p>“Looks like you’ve almost got it!” Sam yells.</p><p>I nod and take a deep, shaking breath and push as much energy as I can. When the mass is a powder blue color, I feel something pushing back on me. My arms are shaking with fatigue, and this new presence is just one more thing to sap my energy, but I refuse to let it stop the mission. With an angry yell, I gather all of the energy I have left and expel it through my hands, forcing whatever is pushing on me back into the mass.</p><p>A loud bang echoes across the island and all of my remaining strength vanishes. The light from my body flickers and dies and I feel myself falling through empty space.</p><p>Someone catches me before I hit the ground and I can hear Sam yelling my name in the distance. I mumble out something about taking the mass back with us before I feel a slight pressure behind my eyes. A soft voice asks me to repeat what I said, so I do. A pair of strong arms holds me close to a warm chest. My mind goes blank.</p><p>–</p><p>“I’m fine, Sam! I don’t need the wheelchair.”</p><p>“You were unconscious for two days, (Y/N). You’re not fine.”</p><p>“Sure, but I’m not an invalid.” I fold my arms over my chest and sulk. “I can walk by myself.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, if I let you out before we get to the car, I’ll get in trouble. And I don’t wanna get in trouble. That okay with you?”</p><p>My cheeks grow hot and I slump down in the chair. “Yeah, I guess that’s okay.”</p><p>“Cool.”</p><p>We stand near the curb for a while before a gray town car pulls up. The front passenger window rolls down and the driver asks for the both of us by name. I look up at Sam and he just wiggles his eyebrows at me. The nurse that accompanied us out helps me out of the wheelchair but allows Sam to lower me into the car. She wheels the wheelchair away as Sam gets in on the other side of the car. As soon as his seatbelt is buckled the driver takes off down the street.</p><p>At the first red light we come to, I unclip my seatbelt and shuffle to the middle seat so I can rest my head on Sam’s shoulder.</p><p>“Buckle up, sweetheart,” Sam says. “After the stunt you pulled on Vendovi, I gotta keep you safe.”</p><p>I snort. “If you try to wrap me in bubble wrap, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.”</p><p>He laughs and rests his cheek on my head. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”</p><p>“<em>Please </em>tell me you didn’t already buy bubble wrap.”</p><p>“I promise I didn’t, scouts honor.” He smiles against my hair. “But you still gotta buckle up. What is it all those Washington road signs say?”</p><p>I sigh and roll my eyes. “Click it or ticket, I know.” I buckle the seatbelt and wiggle my shoulder against Sam’s to get comfortable. “Happy?”</p><p>“Very.”</p><p>He wraps an arm around my shoulders and we spend the rest of the drive to my apartment in silence.</p><p>Sam keeps me steady while we walk up two flights of stairs before we can take the elevator to the fifth floor of my building. I fumble with the keys when we reach the door and Sam takes them from me and unlocks it. As soon as we’re inside I flop down on the couch and let my head fall back against the wall. When Sam sits beside me, I immediately lay down so my head is in his lap.</p><p>“How long are you staying?”</p><p>“I’m here as long as you need me to be, (Y/N).”</p><p>“What about the Avengers?”</p><p>“If they need me, they’ll call.” He pushes my hair away from my face and combs his fingers through. I hum softly and lean into the touch.</p><p>“I don’t have a guest room, though.”</p><p>“I can sleep on the couch, don’t worry.”</p><p>“That’s not what we did when we were kids, Sammy,” I say. “Sharing a bed was the best part of the sleepover.”</p><p>“We’re not seventeen anymore,” he says. A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth though. “It’s harder to share a bed than it used to be.”</p><p>“It’s not like I’ve got a twin bed. It’d be easier for us to fit. Unless…” I grin up at him. “It’s not the fitting part you’re worried about.”</p><p>He scowls and stares at the wall. “You can’t prove anything.”</p><p>I laugh so hard I have a hard time catching my breath. He shakes his head and lightly tugs on my hair, only making me laugh harder. When I finally manage to calm down Sam disentangles his fingers from my hair so I can sit up.</p><p>“I’ll get you some blankets and pillows,” I push myself up from the couch. “If you get lonely, my room is just down the hall.”</p><p>“Okay.” He shoots me a smile and I feel my stomach tighten slightly.</p><p>I stare at him for a full ten seconds before I realize what I’m doing and jump into action. “I’ll be right back.”</p><p>–</p><p>The bed dips beside me part way through the night. When the comforter is lifted and cold air hits my legs, I roll over and crack open one eye.</p><p>“Sammy?” I croak out, my voice coarse from sleep. “‘S that you?”</p><p>“Hey,” he whispers. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”</p><p>I shake my head and reach out for him. “You get lonely?”</p><p>“Your living room is cold,” he says. He takes my hand and scoots in close, allowing me to cuddle into his chest.</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“How d’you know there’s something else?”</p><p>“Because we’ve been best friends for most of our lives. Spill it, Sam.”</p><p>He’s silent until I squeeze his hand. “Tell me about how you got your powers.”</p><p>“I… okay.” I press my forehead against Sam’s chest and curl in on myself. “I had just been hired by a small news website and all new hires got crammed into the same shitty corner office with this weird blue crystal that was on display for absolutely no reason. Everyone who had ever sat at that desk had warned me that it had a tendency to roll off, y’know? But I didn’t listen and I was careless and it rolled off the shelf one night and shattered. No one was in the office, so no one saw the chrysalis. No one saw me break out. No one saw the light show. No one knew what I was. So I kept it a secret.”</p><p>“Sounds like a shitty secret.”</p><p>“It was. And I didn’t know how to use my powers, so they kept acting up randomly and in meetings n’ stuff. It was like I was stuck in that I Am Number Four movie or something.”</p><p>“And you didn’t look for help?”</p><p>“It’s not like Seattle Inhuman support groups are advertised on Facebook. I didn’t know there was anyone who <em>could </em>help me. So I just kind of tried to go on with life. But things got worse and I spiraled into a pretty bad depression. At that point, I took up vigilante hero work when I wasn’t working my civilian job because I figured it didn’t count as suicide if I got killed by someone I was fighting.”</p><p>“Like what you did on Vendovi.”</p><p>“Exactly like what I did on Vendovi.”</p><p>“But are you… are you better now? Are you talking with a counselor or anyone like that?”</p><p>“Kind of.” I shrug. “Working for S.H.I.E.L.D. lets me work out my frustrations. I don’t feel as alone as I used to. If I feel like I’m spiraling again, I talk to the therapist at the office, but nothing really past that.”</p><p>Sam wraps an arm around my shoulders and presses a kiss to the top of my hair. “I really wish you’d talked to me about this.”</p><p>“Yeah, well… when you’re a few cheap shots away from ending things, it’s not really easy to be talked down.”</p><p>“I get it.” He yawns and holds me tighter against him.</p><p>“Get some sleep, Sam. You’ve been worrying too much.”</p><p>He nods and soon his breathing evens out into peaceful snores.</p><p>–</p><p>“A friend of mine invited us out for dinner and drinks tonight!” I announce.</p><p>Sam looks up from his book. “What?”</p><p>“I told him you were in town a few days back and he wanted to meet up.”</p><p>“Okay.” His back is stiff as a board.</p><p>“It’s just a little walk across town and the bar has some of the best homemade potato chips ever.” When his posture doesn’t change, I scowl. “Y’know, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”</p><p>He shakes his head. “No, I’ll go. When should we leave?”</p><p>I decide to ignore his unease. “Maybe six thirty or seven.” I shrug. “We don’t have to be there till eight, so we’ve got some time to get there.”</p><p>He nods absent-mindedly and opens the book again, but he doesn’t look at the pages.</p><p>“What is up with you?” I ask.</p><p>“Nothing,” He shakes his head. “Who’s the friend?”</p><p>“A friend from college. Good dude. I’m sure you’ll like him.”</p><p>“Alright, sounds good.”</p><p>“Cool. I’m gonna go shower. Yell if you need anything.”</p><p>–</p><p>As soon as (Y/N) is around the corner, Sam lets the book fall to the side and he covers his eyes with his hands.</p><p>It’s weird being around (Y/N) after nearly ten years of being apart. It’s easy to be with her and to talk to her, but only speaking over the phone and texting made it much easier for Sam to convince himself that he was the only man that (Y/N) was talking to. Not that he’s a possessive person, but he has been in love with (Y/N) since their senior year. He doesn’t want to stop her from finding someone to share her life with, but the thought of her leaving him behind stings.</p><p>“SAMMY,” (Y/N) yells from her bedroom.</p><p>“WHAT,” he yells back.</p><p>“PUT ON SOME MUSIC OR SOMETHING. IT’S TOO QUIET IN HERE.”</p><p>Sam grins. “WHATCHA WANNA YEAR?”</p><p>“LIKE YOU EVEN HAVE TO ASK, TROUBLE MAN. GO WITH THE CLASSICS.”</p><p>He laughs and shuffles through the crate of records next to the stereo to find the Trouble Man vinyl that he sent her last year as a Christmas gift. Marvin Gaye’s soulful voice fills the apartment.</p><p>–</p><p>“Oh! There’s Tristan!” I grab Sam’s hand and lead him toward the booth at the back of the bar. Sam’s fingers lace with mine and my smile gets wider.</p><p>Tristan waves to us and pats the bench next to him as we get closer. I shake my head and plop down on the bench across from him. Sam slides in beside me and rests his arm on the back of the booth just above my shoulders. Tristan smiles and wiggles his eyebrows at me and I roll my eyes.</p><p>“Knock it off, you’re not five.”</p><p>“Oh sweetheart, I could be doing so much worse. You’re lucky I’m so civilized!”</p><p>“That’s not even close to what I’d call you.”</p><p>He laughs and turns his attention to Sam. “So this is the famous Sammy,” Tristan looks him up and down and I resist the urge to reach across the table and smack him. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”</p><p>“Can’t remember hearing much about you,” Sam says. His arm drops down over my shoulders and I pat his chest.</p><p>“Stand down, flyboy.”</p><p>“No, (Y/N), it’s fine,” Tristan leans back against the booth, an easy smile on his lips. “How’s that book coming?”</p><p>“You <em>know </em>it’s stuck right where it’s been for almost six months.”</p><p>Sam snorts. “Six words into the first chapter.”</p><p>Tristan laughs loudly. “She’s terrible at her dream job.”</p><p>“Yeah, well…” I scowl at both of them. “Why don’t <em>you </em>try writing a book? Tell me how easy it is then!”</p><p>Sam holds his hands up in surrender. “I’ll stick to what I’m good at if you do.”</p><p>I look at Tristan and get the same answer. “That’s what I thought.” I relax against Sam and look around the bar. “Did you already order?”</p><p>Tristan nods. “Just got the usual. Figured Sam might be a burger man, so I got double your order.”</p><p>“You truly are a gift from heaven.” Sam’s arm tightens around me and I rest my head against his shoulder. “You’re gonna love this, Sammy, it’s just like the place we used to go when we were in high school.”</p><p>“I doubt anywhere could beat the neighborhood burger joint,” he says.</p><p>“Okay, maybe not, but it comes close.”</p><p>“You never told me how the two of you became friends,” Tristan tilts his head to the side. “Seems like there’d be some kind of backstory there.”</p><p>Sam shrugs. “Not really,” He looks to me for confirmation and I nod.</p><p>“It’s kind of like we weren’t friends one day and then we were magically joined at the hip.”</p><p>“That sounds impossible.”</p><p>“It’s true, though,” I insist. “We got stuck together for a project in our freshman English class, and things just went on from there.”</p><p>Before anyone can say anything else, the food arrives and pulls our attention away from the conversation.</p><p>–</p><p>“Nah, nah, nah, listen. <em>No</em>, babe, you don’t understand! Sammy was the <em>biggest </em>nerd when were in school! An absolute genius!”</p><p>“(Y/N), come on…”</p><p>“No! Look, I swear I have something saved…” I hastily flip through pictures on my phone before landing on the perfect one. I thrust it out for Tristan to look at and he smiles. “LOOK. Senior year, his senior project. He was so ridiculously proud of himself. It was so <em>cute</em>.”</p><p>Tristan smirks. “I can see that.”</p><p>I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Laugh all you want, I’m completely right.”</p><p>“Mhm, sure you are.”</p><p>“How was that date last week?” I ask. Sam perks up beside me and Tristan looks between the two of us with a knowing look.</p><p>“It was fine. Don’t think I’ll see him again though.”</p><p>“Oh? I thought he was supposed to be perfect.”</p><p>“He was perfect. Until he ordered the most expensive thing on the menu and then expected me to pay.”</p><p>“He <em>what</em>?!” Sam exclaims.</p><p>Tristan and I freeze, look at each other and burst out laughing.</p><p>“What? It’s true!” Sam folds his arms over his chest and frowns. “I don’t care who you are, that is not proper date etiquette.”</p><p>“We’re not laughing at you, Sammy, we’re laughing because we didn’t expect you to say anything,” I explain.</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“It’s cool, Sam, I agree completely.” Tristan glances at his phone and places his napkin on the table. “I should probably get going, I have a meeting in the morning.”</p><p>“We’ll walk out with you,” I pat Sam’s arm and he slides out of the bench seat and offers me a hand up.</p><p>We pay at the bar and bid the bartender goodnight. Sam slings an arm around my shoulders as we head out into the chilly Seattle night. We take up most of the sidewalk as walk towards the bus stop that will take Tristan back to his apartment. Tristan says goodnight and I hug him before he turns to Sam, who shakes his hand.</p><p>“Well, Sam, it was lovely meeting you. Hopefully, it won’t be ten years before you visit again.”</p><p>“Same to you, man. And I doubt it will be.”</p><p>We wait with him till the bus comes and he waves to us until we can’t see him anymore. Sam wraps an arm around my waist and rests his head on top of mine.</p><p>“Why were you so jealous of him?” I ask as soon as the bus is out of sight.</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Did you think he was inviting us because I was dating him?” He doesn’t answer and I nudge him with my elbow. “Am I right?”</p><p>“I-maybe.”</p><p>“You are so <em>dumb </em>sometimes.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Sam, you are the only person I have been seriously interested in since high school.” Sam pulls away and looks at me, confused. “The <em>only </em>one.”</p><p>“I-you…we.” He fumbles with his words. <em>“What?”</em></p><p>“Are you serious?! I’m telling you I’ve been in love with you for literal <em>years </em>and all you’re gonna say is <em>what</em>?”</p><p>“What am I supposed to say? I just got the best news ever, there’s nothing that coulda prepared me for this, (Y/N)!”</p><p>“Well! Well-what?”</p><p>“I’m in love with you, (Y/N)!” Sam cries.</p><p>My eyes go wide and I grab the front of Sam’s jacket. “Holy SHIT.”</p><p>The corners of his mouth twitch and he throws his head back and laughs loudly.</p><p>“We’re idiots!” he exclaims.</p><p>“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”</p><p>“I didn’t want to hold you back from finding someone closer to home.” He shakes his head. “We’re on two different sides of the country and I’m an Avenger-”</p><p>“And I’m a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Not much difference anymore, Sammy.”</p><p>“But I didn’t know that!”</p><p>“We’re a couple of idiots!”</p><p>Sam gently holds my face in his hands and leans down to press his forehead to mine.</p><p>“We wasted a lotta time, didn’t we?”</p><p>I shake my head. “We probably weren’t ready before now.”</p><p>“But are you ready now?”</p><p>“Sam, I’ve <em>always </em>wanted this. If we love each other and this isn’t a dream, then it’s probably worth fighting for.”</p><p>“So you wanna give us a shot?”</p><p>I laugh and nod. “Yes. I really do.”</p><p>He grins and presses his lips to mine. His hands find their way to my hips and he holds me in a tight hug. When he pulls away he showers my face in kisses, leaving me in a fit of giggles.</p><p>“I’ve waited too long to do that,” he says.</p><p>“Yeah, but if we play our cards right, we’re just getting started.”</p><p>He grins and pulls me into his side and leads us down the street.</p><p>“Long distance might be hard,” I say softly.</p><p>“We’ll be fine.”</p><p>“I could ask for a transfer. Or even just work part-time over there if that’s an option.”</p><p>“That’d be nice. Seeing you more often would be amazing.”</p><p>“It would,” I rest my cheek against his shoulder. “I’ll ask when I get back to work.”</p><p>We take a detour down by Pike Place market and walk along the water. Being this close to Sam after a lifetime of telling myself he wasn’t mine feels like walking on air. With no one out, it feels like the city is asleep and we’re walking in the space between dreams and reality. The sharp fall wind lets me know that this is very, very real, which makes tonight that much better.</p><p>“You’re not going to fight me on sharing the bed tonight, are you?”</p><p>His grip tightens and when I look up, he’s smiling. “Absolutely not, sweetheart. Wouldn’t dream of it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As always, I'd love to know what you guys think! Kudos and comments keep the writing wheel going!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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